Bonalu is celebrated in the month of Ashada Masam (July or August). Bonalu celebrated on Sunday's. In 2016 Bonalu starts on 10th July and ends on 31st July. The dates of Bonalu is July 10, July 17, July 24 and July 31. Bonalu is celebrated on July 24th in Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad. Bonalu is an annual festival of Telangana celebrated in Twin Cities Hyderabad, Secunderabad and other parts of Telangana, India. For village Goddess likes Bonam. Bonalu Jatara is a Month long Festival. Goddess Shakti is worshiped as Mahakali or Mahankali. Bonam means food, rice cooked in a new pot which offered to Mahankali is called Bonam. Bonalu is a Hindu festival of the Goddess, Mahankali, celebrated in Telangana, India.

Bonalu 2016 Secunderabad

Procedure of Bonalu :

On the auspicious festival day people wake up early and finish their regular activities. People will do head bath and wear new clothes especially ladies then they will buy new pot, in new pot they will cook pongali and rice in it, then they will decorate pot with kadi, pasupu (Turmeric) and konkuma (Kumkum) then they will cover the pot with lid, after place some neem leaves and will make lid as a lamp. This is called as Bonam Jyothi. Some women dance with balancing pots, to the rhythmic beats of drums in honor of the local Goddess. In Olden Days people used to sacrifice a buffalo, Goat, Sheep in front of the temple. Goddess temples have names such as Mysamma, Pochamma, Yellamma, Pedamma, Dokkalamma, Ankalamma, Poleramma, Maremma, Pochamme, Maramma, Yellammma, Nookalamma etc.

At the centuries-old Ujjaini Mahankali temple, women started filing in from 5 am itself with the 'bonam', (a pot carrying rice, jaggery, milk and curd and covered with neem leaves and a lamp placed on it) on their heads. Along with the drum sounds and dances ladies in groups with the neibhours, relatives and family members go to the goddess temple and offer bonam to the goddess.

Bonalu Significance :

The origin and significance of the Bonalu festival is traced to a major plague that killed thousands of people in 1869. At that Time People prayed for Goddess Ujjaini Mahankali in Maharastra as the people will saved from the disease will built the Mahankali temple. After the temple built people started offering Bonalu every year in Ashad Maas. The word Bonalu is derived from the Telugu word Bhojanalu means food offered. People belief is that offering the Bonalu will please the goddess.

Potharaju :

Potharaju, the brother of Mother Goddess, is represented in the procession by a well-built, bare-bodied man, wearing a small tightly draped red dhoti and bells on his ankles, and anointed with turmeric on his body and vermilion on his forehead. He dances according to resounding drums.

The Bonalu celebrations begins first at the Sri Jagadamba temple in Golconda Fort. Then Second sunday in Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad and Yellamma temple in Balkampet. Then the celebrations will move to the Old City and other areas of the city.